Jasmina
by Juliette Rocher
Summary: this is a story that matches the plot of wither, but is mainly stand alone. it is the story of Jas, a captured girl, sold to Riley. I will try to update it as often as I can. different names, different time, but still the story of a girl being forced into marriage, and who wants to escape.


_**Jasmina**_

Chapter 1, capture.

He forces my jaws apart and roughly shoves his dirty fingers inside my mouth. I hold my breath and try not to gag as he pushes his digits further down my throat. When he has finished his inspection of my teeth he takes a small knife from his waist and roughly slices the cotton hem at my throat. He then pulls the material apart and the garment tears all the way to my navel, where the second hem stops the thin shirt from completely exposing my breasts. A second pair of hands push the first aside and slowly move upwards and I struggle not to flinch as he grasps the cloth and pulls it… together? He pins the frayed material and looks behind him.

The new person seems nervous and continues to survey our surroundings as he leads me to a covered cart and helps me up the rickety wooden steps. Once we are inside he secures the doorway and turns to face me.

"Are you …ill?"

Are you pregnant? I think.

I shake my head.

"Did they?"

Did they rape/hit you?

I shake my head again as a noise from outside makes my owner start. The ties securing the door curtain are being untied and the light creeps across the floor.

"I'm sorry." He apologises quietly as he removes the pin from my shirt, and he looks into my eyes as he reopens the tear.

As the door opens to reveal a tall, muscular, man wearing the black shirt of an official, my master places his warm hands onto my body, and stares into my eyes as he begins to squeeze and massage my flesh.

The official steps into the cart and watches his movements for a moment. My owner sits back and removes his hands, dragging a woollen blanket from a pile by the door and starting to cover my legs. The official stops him.

"Riley. You needn't stop your pleasure for me. Please, continue."

There is a steely undertone to his polite words, and a hungriness in his eyes that makes it difficult to refuse his order.

Still, at least I now know my owners name. Riley glances once at the black-suited official before looking back to me, and moving his hands to the button at my hip.

I look away as he undoes the fastening and continues his journey down my leg, pulling the blanket back to reveal the heavy cloth of my skirt. He reaches my ankle and takes out his knife, slicing the hem and slowly cutting the dark wool, taking care to avoid my skin.

When he reaches my thigh his gaze finds mine, and he slides his hand underneath the material to protect my leg as he continues his cut. His hands are hot on my skin and he trembles slightly when his fingertips brush my hip bone.

The official laughs when I flinch but Riley removes his hand and helps my shaking body to sit more comfortably. I pull the remainder of my shirt together again and arrange the triangle of wool that was once my skirt to cover my legs.

Riley stands and talks quietly to the official, who stares at me and then answers quickly, louder than my owner.

"She is good, she will give you children, continue your bloodline."

Riley loses his caution and raises his voice.

"But she is too young."

"She is untouched"

"She is just a child"

"Enough! Will you pay or not? I have plenty of other offers for her, and if all else fails she will earn well on the streets."

It is only at this that I realise what is being discussed. I am being bought by Riley.

A clink of coins wakes me from my thoughts and I see Riley hand over two bags of money to the leering official. Once the transaction is completed Riley follows his gaze, then turns back and calmly holds his dagger against the man's throat.

"She is mine now, and if you ever look at her in that way again I will spill your blood. Is that understood?"

The official pales, and nods oncebefore bowing to my master and backing down the steps to tie the door shut.

Riley calls to the driver and the cart begins to move.

He walks steadily from the doorway, despite the lurching movements of the vehicle, and sits beside me. He holds his palm out to me and I place my hand in his.

He slides our entwined hands up my thigh, watching my face for permission. I gave it, somehow trusting him, knowing that if I want him to stop he will.

He slowly releases my hand and tugs at my skirt. It slides across my calves, and I freeze slightly as the cold air hits my white legs. Riley stops and moves to cover me, but I stop his hands.

The cart stops but Riley doesn't move. He stares at my legs and holds my hands in the air, but at the noise of the driver jumping down from his seat, he drops his hands, together with mine, directly down. His fingertips graze my stomach and slide down my skin, over the ragged hem of my shirt, to rest across my thighs. He looks at his hand and shakes his head in silence, still not moving a muscle.

The driver unties the door and puts his head through the gap, but, seeing me half-dressed and Riley with his hand where it is he quickly pulls his head back, and disappears from my view.

Riley still doesn't react, and when I try to release my fingers his grip grows tighter on my hand, almost crushing my bones.

A woman's voice calls through the doorway, and I become aware of a shadow against the canvas wall.

"I'm coming in, is that alright Riley? Have you got new company Riley? The driver said that there was a girl with you, is that right? Is there a girl in there? If there is will you answer me please? I won't get you in trouble if that's what you're worried about."

She speaks as if to a child, and her voice is soft, gentle.

I call out in pain as Riley squeezes again and the shadow moves.

She enters the cart, and stands in the doorway for a moment as her eyes adjust to the semi-darkness. When she moves I can see that she is dressed in a colourful wrap around top, but that her bright skirt doesn't even reach her knees. She looks very different from the world that I have left behind, where it is seen as wrong for a woman to show so much skin, and where we all wear drab, boring, natural colours.

She steps forwards and gently pulls the wool back across my legs, to cover my skin, but doesn't stop Riley's movements until my eyes begin to water. Then she puts her hands over his and holds his head back against her chest, prying his fingers apart. She motions with her free hand for me to move and to leave the cart, but when I try to extract my skirt from underneath Riley she puts her hand down and stops me. I realise what she means me to do and grabbing one of the heavy blankets from by the door I step out into the night.

I soon realise that although I'm not chained up I still can't escape. The dry ground stretches away on all sides, with nothing to provide a bearing. I stay near the cart and sit on the steps, wrapped in the large blanket, despite the heat, to protect what little modesty I have left. I hear whispered voices from within the cart, and listen to the woman telling Riley that everything will be alright. I remember those words, whispered to a frightened child.

I wake up in a small bed, covered with two fur blankets and led on wool. The room is big and empty, made up of canvas stretched over a wooden frame. There is a pile of cloth by the door, and when the woman from last night slips into the room she deposits another sheet on top. She comes towards the bed, but stops when she sees that I am awake.

"Oh, I hope I didn't wake you, but I'm supposed to get you washed and dressed before Riley calls for you."

She moves back to the door and roots through the pile, pulling out a neatly folded skirt and another length of bright fabric.

She places the clothes on the bed and moves to take the cover away. That is when I realise that the remains of my shirt have been taken in the night.

"Who, who took my shirt?," I feel my braid. "And brushed my hair?"

She smiles a little, and blushes slightly. "I did. Riley wanted me to brush your hair, and I took your shirt in case he came in in the night."

She sees my horror, and sits on the bed.

"He didn't, not last night… but he might, you know that, don't you. He bought you, so he can do what he wants with you. Like he did with me." She looks away, thinking how to make me understand. "I was 14 when he bought me, and I didn't know what he wanted me to do, not the first night…." She speaks quickly, like she doesn't want to stop. " we are lucky, he is kind and he will be gentle. He wasn't himself last night, he won't do that normally. His first wife died two months ago, and sometimes he remembers her, and then he forgets himself. But when he does things like that you should call for me, and I'll deal with it… but now I've said too much. We have to get you ready."

She sits further on to the bed, and unbraids my hair, brushing it out and putting it up with pins and ribbons from her skirt. She pulls the cover back, unashamed at my body, and begins to rub away the aches from yesterday's journey. I try to stop her when she rubs at my breasts, but she just sits herself more comfortably behind me and moves my hands. I lie back against her as she massages me. We stay like this until a noise from outside awakens us. Then she quickly extracts herself and pulls me to my feet, wrapping the material around my chest, pushing the matching skirt towards me she steps away as Riley enters the tent.

I am dressed in a pink and orange wrap around top, that only just covers me, and leaves little to the imagination, and a matching sarong that ties loosely at my hip.

Riley sits on the bed, and beckons us both towards him.

"Tibie come here please." He sounds tiered but the woman steps forwards. "Have you been dressing her all this time?"

Tibie begins to nod, but looks into Riley's eyes and stops. She shakes her head.

"Then what have you been doing? Show me."

Tibie steps backwards, towards me, and turns as she steps behind me and unties my top, letting it drop to the floor. Riley watches in silence as she pulls me back to sit on the bed. She watches his expression carefully as she places her hands back onto my chest. After a moment Riley stands and walks towards us as she rubs at my flesh. He places his large hands over Tibie's small ones as she slowly works her way around my chest. I relax into them as they work and begin to enjoy the gentle movements of their combined hands.

Then, again, they stop. I open my eyes but Riley is stood with his back to me and his front to Tibie, who is wrapped around his neck and waist. She sees me and bats at Riley's arm for him to put her down. She picks up my top and redresses me, before pointing at the door and turning back to Riley, but he has another question.

"What's your name?"

"Jasmina, Jaz."

I leave the tent.

Outside is dusty, dry. Baking in the sun, and parched from the lack of rainfall. It cracks under the heat.

There are other tents scattered around, small, single ones like the one I stand outside of, big ones that look like they are for communal use, colourful ones, with brightly coloured material fluttering like flags on endless washing lines. But no one in sight.

Then all at once, as the bright morning sun hits the canvas, people begin to appear. Pouring out of tents, dressed in dyed clothes, some carrying small children, all with bare feet, the men and young children with bare chests. All moving with purpose, towards one of the big tents. I decide to follow them, hoping for some food, some water.

The tent is full of people, and the walls are lined with wooden benches. In the centre a fire is being built by three men, and two women stand beside it holding a large copper pan full of a pale stew.

I step further into the tent to allow room for people to come in behind me. I stand still until I feel a pressure at the base of my spine.

After only a day I recognise his touch. He propels me forwards and then pulls me back to sit on his lap as he settles onto a bench. Tibie sits next to him and slips her hand between us to rub against my spine.

When the fire has been built the noise dies down, and as the pan is balanced in the heat Riley stands me up, and rests his chin on my head, holding me close and rubbing my stomach.

The noise stops gradually and people turn to watch us. Riley holds me a little tighter and speaks in a calm, measured tone.

"Thank you for your time. I just wanted to introduce you to my new soon-to-be-wife. Her name is Jasmina and she will be my second wife. I know that you will all treat her with the same kindness you showed Lily. Please take care of her as she is new to our way of life and to our customs. I expect you to treat her with decorum and to remember that she is mine. Thank you."

He leads me away from the fire and out of the tent.

Still holding my hips he steers me through the door of another tent.

"This is my and Tibie's tent and will be yours after our marriage. You will come here when I send for you and if you wish to speak to me you will do it in here. Do you understand?"

I nod and he smiles and sits on the large bed and pats the space beside him.

"We need to talk about you and me. I promise that I won't touch you if you don't want me to."

I cross the room and sit on the cover, pulling my feet up and nestling into his side as he puts his arm around me and pulls me in.

"Feel free to ask questions. I won't be angry. But first will you please let me talk. My name is Riley. I am the chief of this clan. I have lived here all of my life. The people here are kind and will care for you. Though the land is bad we have learned what we can grow and can survive. I have had three wives. My first was named Lily and she has died. The second is Tibie. She is now my first wife and you will be my second. You will follow my orders and also Tibie's. She will show you what to do and how to behave. She will also dress you until you can do it yourself. She will sleep in my bed and when we are married so will you."

He stops and motions for me to speak. I think of all of the questions I want to ask.

I ask the least painful.

"When will we get married?"

"In two days."

The days pass in a blur of colour. Each morning Tibie teaches me how to dress and to do my hair then Riley takes Tibie to his tent and I go to the dining hut. I eat alone and then wait for Tibie and Riley to finish in their tent and eat. After breakfast we all go back to Riley's tent and he teaches me to look after him, to shave him and to cut his hair. Then lunch, more stew, and a walk through the fields that supply the clan. After our walk on the first day Tibie takes me to her tent.

It is brightly furnished, with patterned hangings and a small bed. She sits me on the bed and begins to talk.

"You will be expected to work for Riley every day and to sleep in our bed each night. I will take the lead in bed but you must join in. On your marriage night I will not be there, so you will have to do it alone. Riley is kind and will be gentle but you must prepare yourself for the pain and the consequences. If you get pregnant then you will have to keep the baby and care for it. You know what will happen on your marriage night?"

"Yes. But I want to know what will happen at the marriage itself. What do I say? What do I wear?"

"You will wear a red skirt and a white wrapper, Riley will wear his usual clothes but in blue, the colour of love, that is, his buba and his sarong. You just repeat after the chieftain, who will act like the priest at home. You say your name and then Riley says his, then you hold hands and he carries you to our tent and lays you on the bed. Your clothes are removed by the married women and then food and water are placed by the door and the tent is shut for two sunrises. When you come out you stay in the married woman's tent for a night then sleep with me and Riley in our bed."

On the second day I am left alone in my tent for the last time and Riley comes to visit me and to give me my marriage clothes. He leaves quickly and doesn't look at me.

On the morning of my marriage Tibie wakes me early and helps me to arrange my hair with precious gems threaded through it and to dress in the new skirt and wrap. She and the other married women lead me to the tent where the marriage is to be performed. Tibie leads me to Riley and stands beside him.

The priest speaks in a native language for a while and then asks my name.

"Jasmina."

"Riley."

Riley takes my hand and lifts me easily. He carries me back to his tent and I notice as we pass that the one I was staying in has been taken down. There is no going back.

He settles me onto the bed and steps back as the clan wives surround me and begin to untie my clothes and take them away.

A covered pan and a jug are placed by the doorway and Riley begins to knot the door ties.

He walks to where I lay and sits on the bed.

He removes his shirt and unties his sarong. It is the first time I have seen him naked. He moves to sit beside me then pulls me to lie against him. He rests his arm around my waist but waits until I stop shaking before moving again.

We lie in the bed, on top of the covers and he begins to rub my hipbone. I roll to lie on my side facing him as he moves his hand to gently rub circles on my stomach. He looks happy and smiles lazily as he explores my body. He moves my hands to rest on his toned stomach and tenses under my hand as I flutter my fingertips against his heart.

I trace around each muscle lightly and he shifts slightly before rolling to rest his weight on his hands and moving above me. I feel him pressed against my leg and he bobs his head to kiss me for the first time as he pushes into me. The pain clouds my vision, and I bite on his lip as he groans against my mouth. He pulls his lip from my teeth and kisses at my temple as I wait for the pain to fade.

We roll away from the stained blanket and he kicks it to the floor. I lie with my head against his chest and listen to his heartbeat as we fall asleep.

We sleep pressed together and he places his hand on my waist as I snuggle into his chest.

On the first day I stay in the bed and when we get hungry we feed each other stew and water.

On the second night I relax a little and stop wrapping myself in blankets when I leave the bed.

He begins to try things that he thinks will make me smile and laugh, like wrapping blankets around his head like an old woman when I wake and 'kidnapping' me when I'm falling asleep.

We become more experimental. We learn every inch of each other's body, and commit the sight to memory.

I sleep fitfully and wake often throughout the night, always to find Riley at my side with a cup of water and his hand on some part of my body. Once, he wakes me, with his fingers pressed against my most secret place.

On the second morning we lie on the cold earth floor and watch the sunrise under the door, he lies on top of me and rests his chin on my head. As the heat touches our door the married women arrive to steal me away and shut me in their tent for a 'recovery' day.

The second I am free Riley carries me out of the tent in one arm and smiles against my skin as I rest against him. Tibie leads the way to our tent.

Tibie ties the door back and Riley pushes the wooden bed closer to the entrance, where it can clearly be seen by anyone walking past. He beckons us both towards him and instructs us to undress each other.

Tibie starts by removing what's left of my wedding hairstyle and collecting the shiny jewels that tumble free when she runs her fingers down my back to my waist. I pull the pins from her braid and watch as the shiny black waves cascade down her back. She runs her fingers through my hair again and stops at my wrap. She slides her hands firmly around the new purple cloth before untying the knot between my breasts and burying her face in its place. We both turn as our husband groans from the bed, but continue when he waves a large hand at us. Next to go is Tibie's wrap and then her skirt. She wraps her legs around mine to sit on my feet and reaches up to untie my skirt. She lets the light material fall over her head and then stands, rubbing her hot body against my legs as she does so.

We both glance at each other and then advance on Riley, who is led back on the bed, watching us move to his side. Tibie, as first wife, slides down his body, and leaves me to admire his muscles, bronzed from years of living in the sun. I kiss my way down his body, from his lips, down his neck, past his chest and across his abdomen, to Tibie's lips. I taste our husband in her mouth and we kiss for a long time, savouring the taste and giving him time to recover.

We are all in the bed when a farmer comes to ask Riley about the upcoming harvest. Tibie stands and invites him into the room, but he stands in the doorway, clearly unsure of what to do when confronted by a naked woman and another naked couple, who, by then, are kissing in the bed.

Riley sends Tibie for a chair and when she returns, wrapped in a blanket and carrying the required furniture, the farmer sits down nervously.

Tibie drops the blanket and gets back into my side of the bed, whispering in my ear.

"Let's distract him."

I nod and we begin to kiss as the men talk about workload and prices.

Riley pinches us both under the covers and we giggle as we see him shift to cover his growing discomfort.

He continues to talk as Tibie and I become more adventurous, touching each other, and rubbing Riley's leg.

He finishes his meeting and the second the farmer leaves he turns to us and laughs.

"See what you've done. Now my people think I can't control my wives. How are they supposed to trust me to protect them if I can't even keep you two in check?"

"You could punish us?" Tibie suggests.

"Good idea."

Riley rolls us both onto our fronts and instructs us to stay like that. He pulls the blanket back and exposes our backs to the noon sun.

He stands and reaches behind the bed to produce a bottle of sun oil.

"If you wants this then you will have to come and get it."

He shakes the bottle at us before grinning as he picks up our clothes and leaves the tent.

He vanishes around a tent as we chase him through the camp. We laugh at the astonished face of the other clan members. They stare until they realise who we are, then look away, frightened to be caught looking at the naked bodies of their chief's wives.

We chase him round a tent for a while, and when we catch him he squirts us with the oil and laughs as it soothes our burning skin.

Later in the day Tibie and I wander down through the fields and through the drying ground to the river bank. We lie there until Riley sends for us.

It's growing dark when a young girl taps me on the shoulder. She looks about eight and she wears a yellow skirt and no wrap. She looks worried and a bit afraid of me. She seems not to be afraid of Tibie, and looks at her while she speaks.

"Umm Chief Riley sent me to find you and he said that you have to go to your tent and get ready to see him." She frowns, and rubs her stomach, where a red mark is beginning to form. "Andihavetotellyouthathedoesn twanttobekeptwaiting." She rushes through the last sentence and begins to shake. I realise that my husband has shouted at her and as she turns to leave I instinctively reach out and pull her in for a hug, before standing and brushing off the sand that has stuck to my hot skin.

Tibie grabs my arm and the child's hand and we run together, back to the camp. We drop the messenger off at the unmarried girl's tent and enter our bedroom.

Riley is sat on the bed, clearly in a bad mood and he doesn't look too happy when Tibie stops to rebraid her hair before seeing to him. When Tibie has finished we remove his shirt and sarong and lie him on the bed. Tibie undoes her sarong, and, clearly not in the mood, she folds it with her back to the bed. When she turns around Riley is waiting.

"What do you think you are doing? Just drop the skirt and get over here. Am I not more important than your silly clothes? Never mind, Jasmina will attend to me today. You can attend to her."

He pulls me forward and positions me on the bed, then rolls over me and pushes Tibie's hands onto my breasts and forces us to kiss.

We make love and he stays inside me as he comes. I see Tibie's face contort as she realises what he's done.

He stays inside me and looks down at Tibie; she looks back at him and stops kissing my stomach.

They stay like that for a while. Then Tibie breaks the silence, pushing Riley back and pulling him out of me. They roll to lie beside me and Riley pushes Tibie into the bed.

They kiss passionately and Riley throws a towel at me and points me towards a bar of soap on the new table opposite the door. I move to pick up my skirt and wrap but Riley shakes his head. I wrap the towel around me and he allows it.

I take the soap and head for the bathing pool.

When I feel clean again I dry myself and wrap the cloth that Riley's young messenger brings around my shoulders. The 8 year old girl introduces herself as Sunia and tells me that her mummy is Riley's wife and that she is his messenger when she isn't at school.

I realise that she must be Tibie's daughter and wonder why she doesn't live in the chief's room and why Tibie never mentions her.

She tells me that I am not to go home, and that I have to go to Tibie's tent for the night.

"I have to go to the unmarried girl's tent next and get someone for daddy tonight."

She skips along, and tugs at my hand as she pulls me through the fields and back to the camp, into an unfamiliar tent.

The room is large and lined with rows of beds, like a dormitory. Most of the beds are full, but the few that are empty have a piece of bark on them. I look at the nearest empty bed and see that the bark is written on in charcoal. The single word is a name that I recognise.

"This says Father Patoich. Isn't he the teacher, the boy's teacher? Why does it say that?"

"Because that's where Jenba is, at father Patoich's house. The girls leave the name of the person who they are working for tonight, and then the others know where they are."

I realise what 'working' means when we stop at the second occupied bed and Sunia wakes the girl sleeping there.

"Jespa wake up. Chief Riley wants to see you tonight, without the wives. You best go quickly. He said no clothes but if you want to take your blanket I'll bring it back for you."

Sunia produces a leaf from her wrap and lays it on the pillow. I take it that a leaf is the signal that a girl is with Riley.

The sleepy child gets out of bed and undresses, wrapping the fur blanket from her bed around her shoulders, like I carry my towel. We begin the short walk to Riley's tent.

When we arrive Riley is sat outside. He glances at Jespa and I and takes in what we are wearing. I realise what he can see from his point of view and cover myself a little more.

Jespa drops her blanket and Sunia picks it up, before bowing to Riley and returning to the unmarried girl's tent.

I follow her example and bow to my husband before retreating to Tibie's tent for the night.

In the morning we get dressed and stumble through the dark camp to Riley's bedroom tent. When we arrive the door is tied down and we sit outside to wait until our husband has finished.

Sometime later we hear our husband's groan and soon after that Jespa trips through the doorway. Tibie wraps her in a blanket and helps her to the bed, frowning at Riley. We clean her sore body and wash the stickiness out of her hair. Riley tries to stop us but soon collapses under the combined pressure of two wives' displeasure.

We tidy and dress the helpless form of the young girl, who Tibie tells me is only 13. I rub a healing cream onto her bruises and cuts, and Tibie helps her to sit and to drink a little water.

We force our husband to carry the prone form to Tibie's tent. We tuck her in and rub her back through the day as she throws up what our husband has made her swallow.

When she is strong enough to eat solid food and can keep it down, we hand her over to the other unmarried girls, who take her back to their tent. We watch her out of site and turn on our husband.

"What did you do to her? Never mind I can see what you did. Why did you think that that was a good thing to make a thirteen year old do? She has been sick all day. There was blood on your blanket. You better not have been her first because if you were I will never let you choose your own company again. She is covered in bruises. She's only a child she can't handle play like that. What did I tell you about doing that with the girls?"

Tibie rants and berates our husband until she has run out of breath and then I take over.

"You beat a child? What were you thinking, you don't even beat us that much and you own us. So you thought that you would beat a child who has parents, who you didn't pay for, who you don't own? Next time you feel like turning someone into your own personal walking bruise you hit me. Is that understood?"

He nods, realising what he's done. He sits on the ground, deep in thought. I see him begin to think about what he could do to me. I see his body react to his dirty thoughts.

I help him to his feet and pull him towards me. I move his hands to my back and walk him to our tent. Tibie strips the bed and remakes it while Riley undresses me.

Tibie leaves the room and ties the door shut, I hear her sit down outside and throw my wrap to the canvas where I know her head will be. She laughs when it hits her.

Meanwhile Riley tugs at my nipples and the pain makes me cry out. He grows harder at the noise and forces me onto the bed, gripping my hips hard and pushing into me with no warning. My back arches and I hiss at the sharp pain.

He presses his fingertips into my hips, leaving handprint bruises and then moving his hands to my breasts he squeezes the flesh so tightly that I can feel the veins and tubes inside them stand out against his fingers.

He rolls me off the bed and we drop roughly onto the compacted earth of the ground. I feel new bruises form along my spine as it makes contact with the floor. He roughly pulls out of me and spills onto my face, rubbing the white liquid into my skin and hair. He puts his fingers between my legs and frowns at the dryness. I moan slightly as he pushes his fingers into my sensitive body and he clamps his hand across my mouth and bites my breast as I come into his hand.

He stands up and lightly kicks at my waist to roll me over. He wipes the goo onto the bed and begins to slap at my back and behind, and lower down. He doesn't stop when I begin to cry out in pain and I see Tibie's form stand up and turn towards the door. I try to be quieter and to sound like I'm alright with the pain.

She sits down again but sits in the doorway.

The smacks continue, but Riley begins to sooth my skin in between hits. I begin to enjoy the sensation and am relaxing when a sudden noise from outside makes Riley's hits falter. I wait for the pain but it doesn't come.

When I turn around Riley is sat against the bed, curled up with his knees under his chin. I wrap a blanket around him and he snuggles into it. I call Tibie and sit beside him. He whimpers as he tucks his head under my chin. Tibie sits in front of him and talks on a soft voice, like on the first day I met her.

"It's alright Riley you're safe here and we will look after you. You know who we are don't you? We are your wives Riley. We will keep you safe."

Riley mutters something under his breath.

"Riley you don't know that Lily isn't here don't you. I can get Sunia if you want to see her, I'll get Sunia for you."

Riley nods and Tibie stands and walks slowly to the doorway, calling out to someone to go and fetch Sunia from the school.

She waits at the door until Sunia arrives and quickly tells her what has happened and ushers her into the room.

She walks around the bed, not batting an eyelid at my nakedness, or at the dark bruises and liquids that cover my body. She sits in front of her father and takes his hands in hers, and rubs then gently. She begins to talk and I realise how much she sounds like Tibie.

"It's ok Daddy I'm here now and we can fix everything, me and you and the Mummies, and we can go and play. Will you play with me Daddy; we can play near the river, or in the fields and in your work tent. Let's go to your work tent now." she waits for a second, and when he doesn't move… "Ok we can stay here and cuddle. And I'll cuddle you and you can cuddle me."

She moves so that he has no choice but to cuddle her. As he raises his arms he drops his blanket and Sunia still doesn't react. I wonder how much the eight year old has seen, and when she looks me in the eye and motions to his clear erection, looking happy when Tibie stops her, I wonder how much she has done.

I shake my head before she can touch him and when he seems himself again Tibie takes Sunia away and I deal with it.

The next day Sunia is stood by the bed when I wake.

"You have to pack things for your trip today." She tells me.

"What trip?"

"You and me and mummy and daddy are going to a fair this afternoon."

I accept that my life is planned out for me and begin to pack clothes as Tibie does the same. We pack for a month, and take blankets and bedding, as Sunia tells us that we will have to sleep in the cart for at least one night.

After a quick meal and a few goodbyes Riley carries Sunia to the cart and Tibie loads the bags and bedding.

We travel for a few miles down the road before anyone speaks.

"Daddy, where are we going? How long does it take to get there? Do I have to sleep in here tonight, with you and the wives? How many nights do I have to sleep not at home?"

"Sunia don't ask your father so many questions."

Riley laughs and stops Tibie, answering Sunia as he tickles her.

"Stop squirming you little worm, we are going to the family fair so I can show you and my beautiful wives off to everyone I know. It will take a while to get there. Come back here, don't run away from me pest! You don't have to sleep in here tonight if you don't want to, and we can stop at an inn if we can find one. It will take nearly a month before we get home. Does that answer all of your questions now poppet?"

"Yes daddy, can I go and sit with the driver now please, please, please?"

Riley nods and she untangles her skirts and crawls over me and her mother to wriggle through the gap at the corner of the cart, where two fabric panels don't quite meet.

Tibie pushes a blanket through after her and we soon hear the sound of her excited chatter as she tells the driver about everything that she can see.

After a while of listening to the sound of the wheels and Sunia's chatter Riley begins to shift about and to unpack bags. Soon after this we stop for a meal.

The inn house is full when we arrive and when the innkeeper speaks to Tibie he turns her away. She is about to argue, but when Riley steps forwards there is suddenly plenty of room for us to eat. We are given a separate room and when the food is brought in it is clear that the innkeeper recognised Riley for who he is.

"Chief Riley. I hope that the food is up to your standards? ... Will you be staying the night chief?"

"The food is excellent thank you, and we will be needing a room for the night, if you have one spare?"

"Yes, of course, how many rooms will you need, three?"

"No, just two, and a bed for our driver if you please."

The innkeeper leaves to arrange our rooms and Riley relaxes. He shifts a little on the bench, before pulling a feather out of his shirt pocket, and a leaf from his night bag. He hands the feather to Tibie, and the leaf to me.

Tibie shut her eyes for a moment, then reopens them and looks at Sunia.

"Sunia I think it's time for you to leave the grownups alone now, please make sure that we aren't disturbed and lock your door until morning."

The little girl stands up and takes her bag from her father, before bowing to us all and leaving the room. We hear her tell the innkeeper not to disturb us and then her footsteps fade as she continues up the twisting wooden stairs.

Tibie shuts her eyes again, for longer this time and when she opens them she takes the feather and puts it down her skirt, pulling it out wet.

Riley groans and takes the dripping feather, stuffing it back into Tibie's skirt.

He looks at me next and I turn to Tibie, not sure of what to do. She takes the leaf from me and tears it into two pieces, keeping the smaller one, and giving the rest back to me. She then rips a tiny part of the leaf off and eats it. Instantly her body shudders as she comes. Riley, seeing her reaction pulls us both to our feet and carries us both, with our bags, to the room the smirking innkeeper points to. Riley deposits us onto the high bed and gives us both our bags. We open them to find them both empty of the things we packed, except for a few more of the leaves and a single set of red clothes each.

"You will wear no more clothes for the remainder of the journey. When we reach the fair you will both be allowed to go shopping for more clothes, but until then you will wear these when we leave the coach."

He smirks at us and gives us both a small green shred of leaf.

"Eat, my wives, and enjoy yourselves."

He settles back and feeds us more of the leaf throughout the night, until we are all too exhausted to continue. We sleep naked on the unfamiliar bed, my head on Tibie's chest, and Riley's head on my stomach and Tibie's hands on both of our breasts.

In the morning I wake with a sharp pain across my stomach. I cry out and Tibie wakes with a start.

"Riley, Riley get up. I think Jaz is hurt. Quick get up and help me."

The pain continues and Riley gently wraps a blanket around my body and carries me to the cart, tucking me in and running to the front of the cart to harness the horses and drive me to the hospital.

The pain fades but Riley continues to drive. He is right and the pain pulses again a few minutes later.

Tibie begins to smile when the pain beats for a third time. She calls to Riley and the cart stops quickly. He appears in the open doorway, and jumps on to the wooden frame.

"I know what it is! I had these before, don't you remember? It's those fake baby pains. She's pregnant!" Tibie's face contorts as I squeeze her hand to help with the pains.

What?

I can't be pregnant I'm not old enough and I don't want a baby. Not with Riley. I want to have a baby with someone I love, not someone who bought me for two bags of silver.

How do I get rid of a baby, can I even do that around here, I know of plants and berries at home that can be boiled to harm a young pregnancy, but the only things that grow in the desert are the carefully tended crops.

I realise that Tibie and Riley are still excitedly discussing baby names and how to tell people at the family fair.

After a few moments of gushing surprise we turn the cart around and head back to the hostel, to find Sunia sat outside, playing in the sandy dust.

"Hello, where have you been?"

"We went for a drive and we have something to tell you, but you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone. Also, where is the coach driver?"

"The driver is still asleep, and is this when you finally realise that she is pregnant?"

How does she know that? I didn't even know that until an hour ago, and it's my body.

Tibie nods, as shocked as I am, as Riley nudges her aside and tugs me against his waist and into the stable. We pass the well and he lifts some water from the surprised maid, who follows us to retrieve her bucket. Tibie and Sunia run behind the inn to play in the brightening daylight as the maid demands the return of her bucket.

The cold water wakes the angry driver, and makes the young maid splutter with barely concealed laughter.

"What was that for you imbecile?" He swallows his words and looks into the face of the angry chief. He slowly stands and stumbles towards the door, stopping only to pick up the single silver coin Riley drops.

"Your services are no longer required. Take your pay and leave."

The astonished maid picks up her empty bucket and follows the former driver. She barely takes a step when Riley pulls the rope handle from her loose grip, and swings her into his arms.

"Sir, if you please, but I have to finish getting water or I will get into trouble, then I can come and see you."

"No. you will come with me now, we will all get water and then you will be finished quicker, and we can have some fun. You are married?"

"No sir, I am not."

"You are unmarried?"

"Yes, but not exactly."

"Experience?"

"Some."

"Then we will get along splendidly."

She tucks her head under his chin, and settles into him as he turns to pull me to his side. He takes my hand under the maid's knees and carries her back to the well. When a bucket is drawn he balances it in her lap, and we take it to the kitchen, where the amused cook takes the water and doesn't comment on the poor maids increasing state of untidiness and disarray.

Her shoes soon splash into the well, echoing in the dark water. On our second journey to the kitchen we are told that only one more bucket is needed. Riley twists his arm and flips the girl so that she straddles his back, and doesn't stop me when I reach up to loosen the girl's tight bodice.

Her breasts spill against Riley's head and she wriggles so that they tickle at his ears. He speeds up and runs back to the kitchen, pulling me along as we all giggle and joke. We leave the bucket by the stone sink and Riley settles the maid onto a long wooden bench in the main inn house.

The atmosphere in the inn slowly changes as the men see the almost undressed girl, and then realise that Riley is the one kissing her.

I massage my husband's back, and kiss the maid whenever Riley moves away. We begin to fall into an easy rhythm and the maid loosens her shift and fully releases her breasts. They are much bigger than mine, and for a moment I feel jealous. We carry on for a few minutes, ignoring the stares, and then Riley carries us both upstairs.

By the morning the buxom maid has gone. It's only when I find her bodice in the blankets that I realise I don't know her name. Tibie interrupts my thoughts when she knocks on the door that joins our room and Sunia's.

"Has Pepper gone, the maid, has she gone?"

"Yes, but she left her bodice."

"She's not the first to leave something for Riley to remember her by."

I wonder how many girls have left things behind, after sleeping with my husband. I wonder how many girls my husband has slept with. I wonder what he does with the tokens of nameless girls' love.

He wakes up and Tibie gives him a kiss, before pulling him to his feet and dragging him to the door, before kissing him again, and moving his hands to cradle her breasts.

He kisses her back and after a while she pulls back and gives him the bodice, standing back as he rubs his fingertips across the laces.

He smiles and kisses us both, running out of the room, calling that he will be back in a few hours.

Tibie smiles, and leaves the room, letting me get dressed in the red skirt. I quickly dress and tie my hair back, before tying Sunia's hair back too, making sure that we are both presentable for our Chief.

We eat a small breakfast of bread and water, before sitting in the sunshine outside to wait for Riley's return. After a few minutes Sunia gets bored and starts to draw in the dust.

The cart pulls up, scattering dust over Sunia's markings. She frowns and steps back as her father jumps down from the wooden step. He grins at Tibie and I, before returning his daughters frown. She tries to keep up the expression, but fails under her father's mockery. He laughs as her resolve crumbles, before spinning her around in the dust.

"What did I do now? Why are you mad at me?"

"I was writing my letters and you covered them up, I tried really hard and you ruined it."

"I didn't realise. I'm sorry. I will help you with your lessons this afternoon, but for now if I promise that I won't ruin your efforts again will you leave me alone with your mother and Jas?"

"Do I have to?"

"Yes Sunia you do. I want to play with my wives for a while. Unless you want to join us, that is?"

I am shocked at the question but Riley is serious. Sunia thinks about the question for a moment before shaking her head and jumping over the low garden wall. Tibie whacks her husband's arm, pulling a face and stepping away from him.

"What have I told you about including our daughter in your games? I'm really not comfortable with you talking to my daughter like that. Please don't ask her anything like that again."

"Don't you dare to presume that your opinion matters to me in any way. I will not be spoken to like that by a girl I saved from a fate worse than death. You were nine years old when I found you in the arms of a slave trader. You were to be sold to a brothel; did I ever tell you that? No, I don't think I did."

Tibie looks shocked and subdued. She steps closer and lowers her gaze to the floor. Riley takes her chin in his hand and looks deep into her eyes, before pulling her to him, hugging her shaking frame as tears pour down her cheeks, dampening his shoulder. He pulls back and wipes the tear from her cheek with his thumb, before pulling us both to his side and beckoning to the shocked new maid, who has been watching from the inn door. She hurried forwards, tripping over the uneven ground in her haste to please my husband.

"Yes sir, and is there anything else you would like sir."

"Not right now. Just bring the packages to my room. And you can come in with us, if you are not needed anywhere else?"

I am glad he gives her an option, she is young and looks afraid, but sees Tibie's smile and feels my hand on her arm. We silently reassure her that our husband will be gentle, and that we will all look after her, if she chooses to join us. She nods, and follows us up the narrow stairway to our room.

"Put the packages on the bed and take your hair down. My wives will help you." He glances at Tibie and me. "I will go and see to Sunia, I promised to help her learn her alphabet. Please make sure you are all ready for me, and make certain to wear the clothes." He indicates the parcel on the bed, before squeezing my hand and stroking Tibie's breast as he leaves the room. The maid looks afraid at this display of affection, but a little more comforted when Tibie moves to undo her hair.

"Come and sit with us." I pat the bed between Tibie and me. We pull the frightened girl towards us and she rests her head on my lap as Tibie strokes gently at her breast. I finish untying her hair, and as I shift to put the ribbons and pins on the floor, and as Tibie slips her fingers below the low hem of the maid's shift, a locket falls out. The maid startles and sits upright, stuffing the shiny metal back into the valley between her breasts. She stands and steps towards the door, but in doing so she knocks the package to the floor.

The linen cover falls open to reveal bright, shimmering colours, two jewel bright bodices spilling to the wooden boards. The young girl stops, captivated by the bright colours and shining gems. She moves to touch the sparkles, but stops herself, worried that we will get her in trouble. Tibie stands and hold out a blue skirt from the packet, smiling as the maids returns to caress the bright fabric. Together we dress ourselves in rainbow colours, yellow for Tibie, blue for the maid, whose name, we find, is Rowena, and silver and green for me, leaving a small version of our outfits, in purple, for Sunia. We rewrap the spare dress and bodice, and hide it away in a drawer. We examine the remaining contents of the package, and Tibie grins as she finds a note, tucked between two small packages.

_Hello my wives,_

_If you've found this note, I have left the room; I will not come back anytime soon. If there is a girl with you, one of the maids, please make her feel safe and happy. If she doesn't want to continue with anything, let her go, and make certain that she is alright. I expect you two to finish my instructions, and to look after each other, but if anything gets out of hand, and you feel that you can't continue, just stop. I will always be watching you._

_First, get dressed in the clothes provided, I'm assuming that there is someone with you, but if there isn't just leave any spare dresses in the room._

_If you have unwrapped the other packages, just put them to one side for now, if you haven't don't unwrap them, and still leave them in the room._

_Take this letter with you, and go down stairs, I will be waiting, but you will not see me. Tighten your bodices._

_Ask Pepper, the girl I saw yesterday, for your next instructions, she will be sat by the door, and will want you to do something in return for your second letter. Follow her requests to the letter, and remember to look after each other._

_I love you both, and I hope you enjoy my treasure trail._

Tibie moves around behind me, and I relax against her as she rubs my waist, and sit up again, gasping, as she pulls my laces tight. I feel her nimble hands tie a neat bow, and she turns around for me to tie hers. I massage her waist, and move to her breasts before tightening her straps and tying them between her shoulder blades.

We both help Rowena to get herself tightened, then we take the letter and exit the room.

In the tap room we find Pepper by the door, as Riley said. She grins at us and beckons us towards her. She stands and waves for us to sit on the now empty bench. We are then all treated to the sight of her breasts as she bends to pull a folded letter from her boots. She waves the letter at us and stops to read the list of requests on the back.

"Hello again, and I like the new dresses… The first instruction is for you all to kiss three people, not each other, and not me… Go on then, get on with it" her eyes dance with laughter as she tucks the letter between her breasts.

We finish the first instruction rapidly, kissing the surprised drinkers, and laughing as they try for more.

The next instruction is to let someone touch our breasts, and Rowena looks a little afraid at this. We take her with us, and go round together, to minimise her fear, and to stop anything from getting out of hand. The three men we choose are all drinking together, and they are more than happy to tuck their hands down our fronts. They don't try to press their luck any further, pleased that they can get their pleasure without paying the inn girls.

The third and final request is to give one man in the room an erection. Tibie grins, and surveys the room, looking for a potential victim. She stops, looking at a man sat alone, at one of the more expensive tables. We cross the room and sit around him, Tibie on the seat beside him, Rowena on the table, and me on his knee. He is shocked at this attack, but seems happy enough to let us undress him, focusing on our chests, which are almost spilling from our tight bodices. He grins as we concentrate our combined attention on his groin, relaxing against Tibie as she rubs him, and groaning as I kiss his neck. Rowena kisses at his chest, and rubs her fingers across his thighs. He comes in Tibie's hand, and moans into my mouth. We leave him to sort himself out, putting his coat across his lap to cover his unbuttoned trousers.

We return to Pepper, who passes Tibie a wet rag to clean her hand, and gives us the letter, in return for a kiss each.

_Well done girls, _

_I'm assuming that you have completed your tasks, and that you want to continue with today's entertainment, so, for now, you need to go back to the room, and to find and unwrap the smallest of the two remaining packages. Your next letter is in there._

_Have fun._

_I love you all._

We hurry up the stairs, loosening our bodices, and stuffing our breasts back in as we enter the room. The small package is wrapped in linen, and it feels soft. When we can no longer give anymore guesses as to what it contains we tear the stitching and release the letter, and small paper twist of some green powder.

_Hello again,_

_The twist contains drop leaf powder, a more potent version of the leaf I gave you when we first got here , and this is why there is only a small amount. Your second task is to take the powder outside, and then to wait for the coach to stop. You will all then take a spoonful of the powder, and will sit on the floor until the effects stop. You will find the spoon under the pillow, and please make sure that you do not take more than a level spoonful, because if you do you may injure yourself. Be careful girls, but have fun._

_I love you._

We do as he says, and the spoon is tiny, only big enough to hold a few grains of the powder.

We sit on the wall, and wait for a few minutes, marvelling at the planning of the treasure trail, and the exact timing of the letters. When the coach arrives we take it in turn to take the powder, and after recovering we laugh at the shocked faces of the men on the coach, and almost fall off the wall when we see that one of the men had undone his trousers and was touching himself.

When we can breathe again Riley appears, and drags us inside, carefully taking the twist of powder off Rowena, and tucking it in his bag.

I smile, and Riley pulls all of us to our feet, and carries me upstairs. After a while Rowena leaves, dropping her dress and bodice on the floor by the doorway.

Sunia comes into the room sometime during the night, creeping into the bed to snuggle between me and her father. Tibie nudges her hand around my waist and slips her hand into her daughter's.

In the morning Sunia sits up, and moves away from Riley, to let Tibie and me kiss him awake.

"Hello my girls, come here poppet, I want a kiss from you too." He pulls Sunia to him and kisses her lightly on the nose.

He glances at Tibie over her head, and waits for her to nod, before leaning down, pulling Sunie's chin upwards, and kissing his daughter on her lips. He waits for Tibie to tap his shoulder before he pulls away, and when he does he can't resist going back for another gentle kiss. I am surprised to see the eight year old kiss him back, and even more shocked to see his hand on her thigh as she stands and disappears back to her own room. Tibie frowns and vanishes after her daughter, shutting the door behind her. Riley lies back in the bed as I pack around him, only getting up as the fresh cart and horses clatter to a halt below our window.

Over the next few days we travel through the country, out of the desert, through flooded marsh lands and into dense woods. Some nights we sleep in inns or hostels, but mostly we sleep in the cart, nestled together amongst the bags and dresses.

When we get nearer to the family fair, the road leading to the venue is crowded with carts, some with only a couple sat on the driver's seat, some overflowing with children and wives. None of the carts hold more than one man. Our driver, a boy from the last inn, hands the reigns to Riley and leaves us at the crossroads, gratefully accepting the few coins Tibie passes him.

Tibie and Riley know some of the other families, and Sunia skips between carts, making friends and visiting people she knows. I see her sat on the roof of a wooden cart, balancing against its motion, holding hands with another young girl, but one who bears the ring and bump of a wife.

My own bump is becoming more and more prominent each day, it causes me some discomfort, but most of the time I hardly notice it's there. Sunia is exited at having a brother or sister, and Tibie teaches me how to deal with a child, leaving me with every new-born baby she can beg, borrow or steal from new mothers along the road.

I am not surprised to see and hear wives and men passing between carts at night as they return from a lover's bed. I grow more at ease with men kissing, not only me and Tibie, but also Sunia. She doesn't seem to mind, and she climbs between carts at night with Riley, as he samples the other women on offer. No men come to our cart, and Riley bans me and Tibie from leaving the shelter after nightfall. I notice the bows and deference of the other men and wives on the road, and the ease with which we move through the traffic. I wonder how important my husband is, and how much he owns.

By the time we get to the fair another two days have passed, meaning that almost a full week has passed since we left camp, but I realise that we have only spent four days travelling. The cart stops in a field, and Riley jumps down from the wooden bench, calling to Sunia to come back from another cart, and to leave the poor horse alone.

She laughs and giggles, and I see the shadow of Riley swinging her around, and then throwing her in the air. She swats at his arms and he puts her down. They both fall into the cart, laughing still, and Riley pulls Tibie to his side, and holds my hand as we unpack the cart. The room we are given is big, empty, and warm.

We leave our bags by the door, and the smiling, pale, young maid takes them and moves further into the room. She struggles with the heavy bag containing Riley's books, and he drops my hand and dashes forwards to take it from her. She pulls away, before realising what he is doing and, he glances at Tibie and me, silently instructing us to find out what's wrong with the young girl. We step forward, loudly, to give her warning that we are coming. She turns to look at us, twitching back to check that Riley hasn't moved behind her. Tibie carefully takes her arm, leading her away from the bags, away from our husband. We take her outside and sit on the steps in the sun.

"Why are you so scared? Its ok you can tell us, we promise that we won't tell anyone."

"I'm not scared everything's alright."

"No its not, is it? Who started it?"

The girl looks at the floor, worried about telling us. We let her think, knowing that she wants to talk.

She starts, and doesn't stop. We don't interrupt her.

"When I was little I lived with my parents, and my mum was a wife. But when she died I was thrown out, and I was captured and sold to a man. He sold me to a girls house, and the men attacked me, but I escaped but I was captured again and then I was taken here, and when the fairs start lots of men arrive, and they attack me again and some are nice but some hit me and I thought your husband was going to hit me."

Tibie doesn't even blink. I am shocked, I feel almost protective of Riley, I don't want her to feel that he is bad, or wrong in any way. I want to make her think that he is wonderful, but only after slapping her for thinking bad thoughts about my fabulous husband.

Tibie stands, and sees my hands clenching. She leads the young girl away, leaving me sat on the steps. I walk, trying to calm my anger. I let my feet choose their own path.

I control myself, and realise that I am defending my owner. The man who bought me. Who keeps me captive. The man who stops me from seeing my brother.

My brother was 10 when we were captured, five years younger than me. He was taken away from me, separated once we got to the holding pens. I spent the whole way there telling him that it would be alright, that I would look after him. That mama and papa would come and get him.

They weren't. Everything I told that scared little boy was a lie. I saw the traders tear my mother from my father's arms. I saw them give my mother to a brothel, and tie my father to the string of men headed for the farms. I knew that we weren't going to be rescued, or stay together, or escape. But I told him that everything would be alright. The last thing that I said to my brother was a lie.

I screamed that I would find him, that I would come back for him, yet here I am, weeks later, sitting playing happy families with my owner. The last time I saw my brother he was sitting on the floor in a holding pen, waiting. I have left him waiting for too long.

I decide to go and find him, to keep my promise. I will rescue him.

Riley calls and I run to see what he wants. Like the good little girl I need to be to earn his trust.

"Have you finished unpacking, Tibie wants to go shopping soon, and I think that Sunia wants some dolls."

"I'll be there in a minute, I just want to visit some other chiefs, tell them we're here."

He ducks through the doorway, and I find Tibie and Sunia at the servant's house, handing the maid over to a senior servant, making the man promise her not to send the girl out alone ever again.

They follow me back to our house, where we meet Riley, who hugs Sunia, and kisses his wives.

I kiss him back, like the good wife I need to be.

We leave the cart, and take a stage coach to the town. I wonder where Riley gets his money from, the money we've been spending on inns, servants, coaches, food. He always has a bag full of coins, and he produces the amount we need, when we need it.

"Riley, if you don't mind me asking, where do you get the money from, do you have a job?"

"I paint, and sell the pictures. Also I sell the extra food from the farms back at home, when travellers pass through."

"Do I need to have a job? To earn money… does Tibie have a job?"

"You don't need money, I will take care of you, you and Tibie's job is to be my wife, to keep me happy."

I wonder if he doesn't want us to have money, so that we can't run away. If I don't have a job I won't have a skill if, when, I escape.

Riley leaves me with Tibie and Sunia and goes to bribe the driver to change his route and drop us nearer to the shops that Sunia wants to visit. He would do anything for his daughter.

We spend the rest of the day shopping for clothes, and the rest of the week looking for toys for Sunia, who doesn't seem to be able to make up her mind.

The rest of the fair passes in a blur of parties, meetings, and discussions with the other wives. The youngest wife at the fair is 11, and I realise that four years ago I wouldn't have been able to cope with married life, but she is glowing, and round. The 8 month bump of her child makes it difficult to see her as someone who should still be playing. She is only two years older than Sunia, yet looks about 20. She is the same age as my brother.

She tells me all about her plans for the future, and lists baby names, in a sort of mantra, when, a week into the fair, her baby decides that it wants to be born.

She is rushed into the town, and her husband goes later, when he has finished his drink. I am shocked at the calmness of the man as his first wife gives birth to his child.

I hope that Riley is a good father, and from how he treats Sunia, I think that he will be.

The day before the fair ends there is a final party. The maid from the inn, Pepper, and her fellow servants are brought in, and they help to get the wives and children ready for the party.

"Do you want to have a bath, Miss., I will run one, your husband has told me to put some scents in the water."

"What scents?"

"Lavender and jasmine, is that alright? You aren't allergic to them are you?"

"No, no that's fine. Run the bath."

Jasmine and lavender are my favourite scents, how does he know that. I never told him that.

The bath is deep and hot, and the scents unknot my muscles and calm me down. I feel my nerves for the party drift away, and I begin to feel comfortable, even relaxed about being Riley's wife.

I let my legs float, and Pepper washes my hair, and massages my back. When she is finished she helps me out, and hands me a large white towel to dry myself, and a twist rag for my dripping hair.

Once I am dry and covered with more of the scented oils, she packs up the bath things, but as she leaves the room Riley enters, and tugs her close for a kiss and a squeeze. He hooks his fingers into the chain around her neck, and lifts the locket from her bodice. She pulls back, but he tugs again and breaks the chain. She bites her lip as she steps back and waits for him to look at the picture.

He laughs as he looks at the drawing folded inside the filigree oval. Pepper visibly relaxes, and he kisses her again and tucks the locket, with its broken chain, back down her front.

He shows me the picture. It is a crude drawing of him, done in charcoal. He doesn't seem surprised that women keep drawings of him in lockets.

Pepper leaves, and Tibie arrives to dress me in a royal blue skirt that exactly matches hers, except for colour. Riley's family are dressed identically, with me in blue, Tibie in orange, and Sunia in green. Riley shows our ownership by wearing a silver beaded sarong, in the same pattern as the silver threads that run through our skirts. We walk in to the party in formation, Riley and Tibie at the front, me behind them, and Sunia behind me. Tibie mingles with the crowds and easily blends in. she vanishes, and I suddenly become a little afraid as Sunia disappears too. I am left with Riley and as the male slaves circle the crowds with trays of alcoholic drinks I grab a glass. I eye the topless servants, but they keep their eyes firmly on the ground. I guess that they are afraid of being found ogling the guests.

I am not afraid of ogling them, and am even so bold as to lift the nearest servants chin, and to force him to look into my eyes. He pulls away and looks down, but still shivers as I run my fingertips down his chest. He steps past me, whispering something that I almost don't catch.

"Orange garden at ten."

The rest of the party passes slowly in a haze of drinks, flirting and baby talk. Sunia sees me leaving just before ten, and grabs my arm.

"I won't tell, don't worry, but use the back door to get in, I'll leave it unlocked. Have fun. Ill cover for you, I know some people who will say you were with them if he asks."

She moves to shield the doorway from Riley's view as I leave the room.

I walk towards the servant and hope that the fresh scents of the garden hide my fear. I ignore the man's hand, and kiss him until my lips are sore and cracked. He pulls me against him, and keeps watch over my head. We are both afraid of getting caught. I leave him just before dawn, heading back to the continued noise of the party. I drink more and more of the champagne, and ignore the pain when my head begins to hurt.

I ignore the sickness when the room begins to spin.

I ignore the floor rushing up to greet me.

I ignore the cool night air on my sweaty skin.

I can't ignore the shock as a jugful of iced water is tipped over my head.

Tibie is beside me when the jolting motion of the cart wakes me the next evening.

"Finally. Riley isn't impressed at your little stunt with the drinks. What were you thinking? You have embarrassed him, and me. He will never let you go to another fair again." Her voice is cold, accusing. I flinch as the reality of what I've done hits me.


End file.
